10 Questions with ... Big Rog

NAME:Big Rog TITLE:APD/MD STATION:KZZQ 97.5 The Blaze MARKET:Salt Lake City COMPANY:Millcreek Broadcasting BORN:Escondido, CA RAISED:Orange County

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started as a Sales Assistant with Clear Channel here in SLC. Moved up to Promotions Director for Oldies KODJ and part-timer for KZHT. Got fired and moved to Millcreek as a Promotions Director. Helped found The Blaze.

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

Jagger and Jeff McCartney at KZHT really gave me the on-air bug. Sky Daniels and Kayvon Motiee made me a programmer. My mom and dad made me creative.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

Music has always been a big part of my life. I've been in bands since I was very young, playing various instruments. When a previous career path collapsed, I asked myself, "What do you REALLY want to do with your life?" Music was once again the answer. I knew radio would be a place where I could apply my musical skills in a new and challenging way.

3) What makes your station or market unique? How does this compare to other markets or stations you have worked at?

Millcreek is very much a "Mom & Pop" store. All of our decisions are made in-house, which makes it very easy to create unique content and really focus on our listeners. You are allowed to be yourself ... whoever you may be. There is no pressure to adhere to any policies, social or professional. Just come in and do the best job you can.

4) Where do you see the industry and yourself five years from now?

We'll still be here in some form or another. Overhead's gotta be lower, though. There's just not as much revenue as there used to be. If you can adapt, you can survive. I don't know what the fuck the Corporate guys are gonna do. Glad I'm not them! I'd be just fine being in this position in five years. I have the best job EVER.

5) How is the relationship between programmer and record label changing -- for better or worse?

It's good, for the most part. I like my reps. I don't like the fact that their bosses would like to start charging us to play their music. Are you fucking CRAZY? If they start taxing music, it's real simple -- ONLY corporate radio will survive. And then good luck breaking artists! Formats will get tighter and tighter and then, across the board, this medium will be virtually unlistenable. In an industry full of bad ideas, this just might be THE dumbest thing I've ever heard.

6) What's your take on current music? Is it as good as six months ago, better, or about the same?

Our format is so underrated when it comes to new music and artists. These people are making music that appeals to a mainstream audience, yet they're shit on by every critic out there or anyone with a tight pair of pants because they're not "cool" enough. Stop being so damn cool and start being REAL. I'm not ashamed to like Nickelback. I'm proud of Shinedown and Papa Roach. I think Linkin Park's latest album is their best work yet. Metallica, too. The music keeps getting better, but the audience changes. People's proclivities become so sensitive due to their own self-image that sometimes they forget to just LISTEN. It'll move you if you let it!

7) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?

It would probably behoove me to not be such an asshole. Sean Penn said it best: "I know I make it hard for a lot of you to like me." I lose my patience pretty quickly when people waste my time. And let's face it; SO MUCH of this business is wasted time. It can make for a frustrating existence if you don't learn to let go a little bit. I'm seeing a priest about it.

8) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year?

It's still early but I really like the new Red album. Those guys are so good! Parlor Mob is hot, too. Love that new album as well. I'm really looking forward to the new Papa Roach album! Can't forget about Seether doing "Careless Whisper." Call me a wuss all you want. That song is awesome. They're the best band in this format.

9) How do you position the station musically and why did you choose this direction?

We mix the Old School and the New School. We've found that the mixture creates an atmosphere of respect for past artists and a context for the new ones. It's one thing to ask a band "Who are your influences?"... it's another thing to play a couple of older songs around that new artist that demonstrate those influences. With a little help from a good jock, the audience connects the dots and we're all a little smarter than we were 10 minutes ago.

10) What approach do you take after a soft book?

We don't feel Arbitron is even close to an accurate reflection of our market's listening habits. So we don't get too bummed when numbers are down. We don't get too high when numbers are good. That's for the sales staff. We measure our success or failure by direct audience contact. If we can keep the phones ringing and the texts coming, if we can keep the web hits high, if we can consistently get 60-70 people at our remotes, if we can consistently sell out our artists' shows, if we can consistently get feedback (positive or negative) from our P1s, then we feel we're doing a good job. I'm not about to let Arbitron validate what we do.

How do you interact with your sales staff?

I have the luxury of having the smoothest Program Director in the world -- Kayvon Motiee. No shit, this guy is the Barack Obama of radio. He deals with the sales staff. We consult one-on-one about sales promotions but 95% of the time, he'll be the one taking our ideas to the staff. It's AWESOME!

If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now what you didn't then, would you still do it?

For sure! This is still the best job on the planet for a music lover.

What gets you upset at work and how do you channel your anger?

Everything pisses me off. I smoke a lot of cigarettes and brood. It's effective.

You just won the lotto and you have your boss on the line. What's the first thing that you would say?

We're upgrading the signal. NOW.

What is the best advice you would give to young programmers/promotion people?

There are Radio People and there are Music People. Which one are you?